Vitrified traffic marker



' Patented Mar. 9, 1943 UNITED l STATES PATENT OFFICE VITRIFIED TRAFFIC MARKER `Application July 26, 1941, Serial No. 404,186

` s4 claims. (ci. :i4- 1.5i

The invention relates to traiiic markers for use upon roadways to clearly mark lanes of trafc, and more particularly to a marker which is readily visible at night. l

With increasingly heavy traffic it is essential 5 that roadways be provided with means for marking lanes of traffic which will be easily visible at night underJ the lights of an approaching vehicle as well as by overhead lighting along the roadway where such is used.`

` It is known that attempts have been made to provide various forms of traffic markers having certain reflecting properties, but such devices as have been placed in use for this `purpose have not been satisfactory and usually require a separate part applied to or embeddedn the roadway.`

e The present invention contemplates the provision of a paving brick orblock adapted to be built into, the roadway `andhaving an integral portion thereof forming a traflic marker clearly visible during theday and being of such shape and composition to provide suilicient reflection and diffusion of lightto make the same plainly visible at night.

It has been found that the material best suited `for this purpose is re clay and that the reflection and diffusion properties thereof are improved by de-airing the clay so as to increase the density thereof.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a trafiic marker in the form of a paving brick or block preferably formed of fire clay which is de-aired before it is molded into the brick or block, and Vprovided upon its top surface with a projection shaped so -as to `reiiect light backto' an'approachin-g vehicle as Well as diffuse light so as to make the projection clearly visible at night. j

Another object is the provision of such a mark- 40 er in which reflecting surfaces of the projection are convexed and substantially vertical.

A still further object is the provision of a marker of this character in which the projection is provided with four similar reflecting surfaces.45 so as to permit the improved paving bricks or blocks to be located either transversely or longitudinally relative to the roadway and provided for reflection of light back to a vehicle approaching along the roadway from either direction.

Still another object is to provide a brick or block of this kind in which the projection has a rounded or convex top to` .assist in diusion of light.

Another object of the invention is to provide 55 such a brick with a recess in its underside of proper size and shape to accommodate the projection upon the top of a similar brick so that the bricks may be easily stacked or piled in the drier, kiln or for storage or shipping.

This is particularly important in the burning of the bricks as it prevents discoloration of the reflecting surfaces of the projection by ashing during the burning in the kiln.

The above objects together with others which will be apparent from the drawing and following description, or which may be laterreferred to, may be attained by constructing the improved traflic marker in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a top `plan View of a traffic marker brick embodying the invention;

Fig. 2, a side elevation partly in section showing two bricksplaced one upon another in a position they would assume in a drier, kiln or for storage or shipping; i Y j Fig. 3 is an end elevation partly in section of the bricks shown in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a roadway showing the improved traffic marker located in the center line of the road.

Similar numerals refer to similar throughout the several views.

The improved traffic marker is made in the form of a rectangular paving brick or block in dicated generally at I0, and formed of a suitable light colored material of sufficient density to proe vide the desired reflection and diffusion properties.

It has been found by experience that the material best suited for forming these bricks or blocks is a good grade of fire clay, and the same is preferably de-aired before the traffic markers are formed therefrom in order to provide suflcient density to produce necessary vdiffusion as Well as reflection.

A projection indicated generally at Il is formed upon the top of each brick or block being preferably centrally located thereon as 'shown in the drawing.

This projection is of generallysquare or rectangular form, having the four similar convex side faces l 2 which lare substantially vertical and parts lpreferably of the shape shown in the drawing,

being highest at the center as indicated at I3, the upper edge of each of these faces being curved downward toward the corners I 4.

The top surface I5 of the projection Il is convex,ll:eing curved downwardly toward each cornel Each brick is provided in its lower side with a recess or socket I6 of substantially rectangular shape, being slightly larger than the projection Il and slightly deeper than the height of said projection and so positioned that when several of the improved blocks or bricks are stacked one upon the other the projection II on the top of each brick Will be received in the recess Iii in the bottom of the brick above.

It should be understood, of course, that the bricks may be piled upon their side faces and the projections received in the recess of adjacent bricks.

This permits of stacking the bricks in the drier or kiln, or provides for storing or shipping the bricks in such condition that they may be easily stacked and will not require any more room than the conventional brick.

This recess also provides for entirely enclosing the projection of the adjacent brick during the burning of the bricks in a kiln thus preventing discoloration of the projection and flashing during the burning operation.

In use the improved traffic markers may be built into the roadway, being laid end to end or side to side as desired with the projections Il extending slightly above the surface of the road.

For the purpose of illustration the improved traffic markers are shown in Fig. 3 as forming the center line il of. a road dividing the same into right and left hand traffic lanes I8 and I9 respectively, but it .should be understood that these traffic markers may be used in the same manner to indicate the side edges of a road or to divide a road into any desired number of traffic lanes.

It has been found that at night the headlights of an approaching automobile will illuminate the projections I l softhat the line marked thereby is clearly visible.

Regardless of the position ofthe trafc markers in the road or the direction from which the Vehicle approaches one face I2 of each projection Il will reflect the light from the vehicles headlights back to the driver while the rounded top surface l5 of each projection will produce sufficient diffusion of light to make the markers clearly visible.

The substantially vertical faces l2 present no place for dirt or dust to collect and will remain bright and clean in use providing suicient reflecting surfaces to properly function as above described.

We claim:

1. A traffic marker comprising a block formed of fire clay and arranged to be embedded in a roadway with its top surface flush with the surface of the roadway, an integral four sided fire clay projection centrally located upon the top of the block, the side faces of the projection being substantially vertical and convex .and tapering in height from the center toward each end, and a convex top surface upon the projection conforming at its edges to the contours of the vertical side faces.

2. A trailic marker comprising a block formed of fire clay and arranged to be embedded in a roadway with its top surface ush with the surface of the roadway, an integral re clay projection formed upon the top of the block, said projection having opposed, substantially vertical, convex faces.

3. A traic marker comprising a block formed of re clay and arranged to be embedded in a roadway with its top surface flush with the surface of the roadway, an integral fire clay projection formed upon the top of the block, said projection having opposed, -substantially vertical, convex faces and a convex top surface upon said projection.

4. A traffic marker comprising a block formed of fire clay and arranged to be embedded in a roadway with its top surface flush with the surface of the roadway, an integral re clay projection formed upon the top of the block, said projection having opposed, substantially vertical, convex faces, said faces tapering in height from the center toward opposite ends.

5. A traic marker comprising aV block formed of fire clay and arranged to be embedded in a roadwaywith its top surface flush with the surface of theroadway, an integral fire clay projection formed upon the top of the block, said projection having opposed, substantially vertical, convex faces, said faces tapering in height from the center toward opposite ends and a convex top surface upon said projection.

6. A traffic marker comprising a block formed of fire clay and arranged to ,be embedded in a roadway with its top surface flush with the surface of the roadway, anintegral, four sided fire clay projection formed upon the top of the block, the side faces of the projection being substantially vertical and convex.

7. A traffic marker comprising a block formed of fire clay and arranged to be embedded in a roadway with its top surface ush with the surface of the roadway, an integral, four sided nre -clay projection formed upon the top. of the block, the side faces of the .projection being substantially vertical and convex, and a convex top surface upon said projection.

8. In combination with a roadway, means for marking lanes of traffic in the roadway, said means comprising a course of fire clay blocks embedded in the roadway in juxtaposition to eachother at one edge of a trac lane, the top surface of each fire clay block being substantially flush with the Surface 'of the roadway, each fire clay block having Aan Aintegral fire clay projection formed upon its top said projection having opposed substantially vertical `convex faces being located transversely of the trafc lanes, .and a convex top surface upon said projection.

DEAN R. SEVER.' DONALD J. RENKERT. 

